why protect source water? implementation for real estate...
TRANSCRIPT
We need reliable supplies of clean, safe drinking water now
and for our future. Yet, some of our activities, when carried
out near a drinking water source, can contaminate and
deplete that water source. To protect our sources of
municipal drinking water, Ontario passed the Clean Water Act
in 2006. Under the Act, 19 regions in Ontario have created
plans to protect sources of municipal drinking water. Plans
were developed by local committees, based on science, and
included broad public consultation.
The Approved Quinte Region Source Protection Plan requires
that existing and/or future activities do not adversely affect
our local municipal water sources. The Plan contains 63
policies to address the 21 provincially identified drinking water
threats. It came into effect on January 1, 2015.
Source Protection Plan
Implementation for
Real Estate Professionals
QUINTE
REGION
MARCH 2015
Why Protect Source Water?
to protect public health
to avoid the cost and need
to clean up contaminated
water
to reduce the cost of water
treatment
to eliminate the need to
search for new drinking
water sources when
existing ones become
contaminated or depleted
to ensure a long-term
supply of clean water
to ensure an adequate
supply for economic
growth
Quinte Conservation,
2061 Old Highway 2,
R R 2, Belleville, ON
K8N 4Z2
613-968-3434 or
613-354-3312
www.quintesourcewater.ca
Why should real estate professionals care
about drinking water source protection?
Many potential home, farm, and business buyers are now
aware that certain properties located near our municipal
drinking water sources may have some regulated activities.
You will receive questions from buyers about whether or not
a property is located in a ‘vulnerable area’ and how this might
impact the activities they can undertake if they purchase the
property. It is in everyone’s best interest for potential buyers
to have the most accurate information available. In the Quinte
Region, (map on last page) this information is available from
Quinte Conservation and at quintesourcewater.ca. (Property
and business owners (sellers) should already be aware of
regulated activities.)
Plan Implementation for Real Estate Page 2 of 8
What is a significant
drinking water threat
activity?
Activities on the land and in
the water can impact our
municipal drinking water
sources. Significant threat
activities may be present or
planned future activities that
take place near the water
source.
The Province of Ontario
identified 21 drinking water
threats under the Clean
Water Act, 2006. Policies in
the Source Protection Plan
address these threats where
they are determined to be
significant. The most
numerous significant threats
to drinking water sources in
the Quinte Region are the
handling and storage of fuel
and the operation of septic
systems.
See the “21 Drinking
Water Threats” fact
sheet at:
quintesourcewater.ca.
Click on ‘Drinking Water
Threats’ under ‘Protecting
Water ‘.
What types of activities are affected by
Source Protection Plan policies?
Policies in the Plan address activities that do or could
occur near the water sources. The Plan sets out both
voluntary and mandatory policies that encourage
good stewardship, require additional care or risk
reduction measures where necessary, and in limited
circumstances, prohibit certain activities. A few
examples of activities that could pose a significant
threat when undertaken close to a water source are:
Residential:
handling and storage of home heating oil
operation of a septic system
Agricultural:
manure handling, storage and spreading
use of pesticides and fertilizers
pasturing and grazing
Commercial /Industrial:
handling and storage of dry cleaning chemicals
storage of waste oil
use of degreasing agents
storage and handling of fuel (gasoline)
The Building Code requires that septic systems in some
vulnerable areas be inspected every five years.
Plan Implementation for Real Estate Page 3 of 8
What are sources
of drinking water?
In the Quinte Region,
municipalities obtain
water for municipal
distribution and public use
from both groundwater
and surface water
sources.
Groundwater is
drawn from wells
drilled into an
underlying aquifer,
which is the water
source.
Surface water
sources include lakes,
rivers and bays such as
the Bay of Quinte,
Lake Ontario, Roblin
Lake and the Napanee
River. Surface water is
drawn through
intakes (pipes) in the
surface water.
The Quinte Region Source Protection Plan prohibits
spreading manure within 100 metres of a municipal well.
What does it mean if a ‘threat’ has been
identified on a property that is for sale?
It means that there is a potential threat to the safety of
the municipal drinking water source and that policies in
the Source Protection Plan may apply. Landowners were
contacted during Plan development and should already
be aware of any threat activities on their property.
The identification of a threat does not necessarily mean
there is an immediate risk to drinking water on a
property. The threat will be one of the 21 identified
activities which can, if not properly managed, pose a risk
to municipal drinking water sources. Policies in the
Source Protection Plan set out how the water source
will be protected from the threat and whether or not
additional measures are necessary.
Some threat activities will require additional risk
reduction measures and so a risk management plan will
be in place. These plans are not typically transferrable
from one owner/operator to another and so a new risk
management plan must be negotiated when properties or
businesses change hands. The Risk Management Office at
Quinte Conservation can provide more information or
see ‘Risk Management’ at quintesourcewater.ca.
Plan Implementation for Real Estate Page 4 of 8
Drinking Water Systems
in Quinte Region
Eleven municipal drinking water
systems in the Quinte Region
serve about 50 % of the
population* or about 60,000
people. The identified vulnerable
areas surrounding these water
sources are where policies in the
source protection plan may apply.
Maps of the vulnerable areas
surrounding these drinking water
systems are available at
quintesourcewater.ca.
Note that the vulnerable areas
for the Village of Madoc wells
extend from the Municipality of
Centre Hastings into the
Township of Madoc. Policies to
protect that drinking water
source apply in both
municipalities.
* The other 50 % obtain water
from private wells using
groundwater; in some
cases surface water from shore
wells; or for some
cottages, directly from a river or
lake. Information about
maintaining wells and septic
systems is available at
quintesourcewater.ca.
11 Municipal Drinking Water Systems
Groundwater Wells: (municipality)
Village of Deloro (Marmora and Lake)
Village of Madoc (Centre Hastings and Madoc Township)
Village of Tweed (Tweed)
Peats Point (Prince Edward County)
Surface Water Intakes: (municipality)
City of Belleville (Belleville)
Hamlet of Point Anne (Belleville)
Town of Deseronto (Deseronto)
Town of Picton (Prince Edward County)
Village of Ameliasburgh (Prince Edward County)
Village of Wellington (Prince Edward County)
Napanee Backup water supply (Greater Napanee)
Plan Implementation for Real Estate Page 5 of 8
Where does the
Source Protection
Plan apply?
The Quinte Source
Protection Region, is based
on the jurisdiction of Quinte
Conservation (page 8). It
includes the watersheds of
the Moira, Napanee and
Salmon Rivers and all of
Prince Edward County; an
area of about 6,200 square
kilometres, with about
117,000 people.
Most of the policies in the
Plan apply in relatively
small and very specific
mapped vulnerable areas
surrounding each
municipal drinking water
source. Not all policies
apply in all areas. Each
policy states specific
applicable areas.
Less than 1% of the total
area of the Quinte Region
is affected by policies that
address significant drinking
water threat activities.
Check the Policy
Information Maps and
related fact sheets at:
quintesourcewater.ca
What are the vulnerable areas surrounding
drinking water systems in the Quinte Region?
Wellhead Protection Areas: These are the areas above
and below ground, surrounding a municipal well through
which pollutants may move toward and reach the well.
Activities in these areas have the potential to affect the
quality of the water supplying the well.
Intake Protection Zones: These are the areas of land and
water, that may be vulnerable to contamination, surrounding
municipal intake pipes. Surface water (water from lakes,
rivers and bays) is drawn in through the intake, or pipe,
placed in the water body.
Maps of vulnerable areas are available at
quintesourcewater.ca
Plan Implementation for Real Estate:
Is the property within the vulnerable area
of a drinking water system?
If so, there are policies that may apply that affect
activities on this property. You and/or your client
can check the Policy Information Maps at
quintesourcewater.ca and/or call the Risk
Management Office at Quinte Conservation for
more information.
Is there potential for development,
construction or related application on this
property?
If so, your client will want to check with the Risk
Management Office at Quinte Conservation
about proposing a new use, business or for
construction on the property. Some activities
will require risk reduction measures (a risk
management plan) or may even be prohibited.
For some activities in specific vulnerable areas,
applications under the Planning Act, or for the
construction or the change of the use of a
building may not be made until the risk
management official issues a notice to the person
who is proposing the regulated activity.
The notice will identify either that:
the activity is prohibited or
that a risk management plan has been agreed
to or established for the activity or
neither prohibition or risk management
measures apply.
If the activity is prohibited then the application
cannot proceed. If the activity requires a risk
management plan, then the plan must be
established before the application can proceed. If
neither prohibition or risk management measures
apply then the application may proceed.
Is the property in an area where septic
system inspections are required every five
years?
The Ontario Building Code now requires that
septic systems in the most vulnerable areas
surrounding municipal drinking water sources
be inspected every five years. In the Quinte
Region these inspections are carried out by
municipal staff in the applicable vulnerable areas
surrounding the drinking water sources for
Picton, Point Anne, Peats Point and the Villages
of Deloro, Madoc, Tweed and Ameliasburgh.
We all have a role to play in protecting our
sources of drinking water to ensure a healthy and
prosperous future for our communities. Real
estate professionals can be part of helping to
protect this vital and valuable resource.
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Quinte Conservation Risk
Management Office
Quinte Conservation provides the risk
management services for municipalities with
drinking water systems in the Quinte Region.
Risk Management Officials are fully certified and
carry provincial identification.
Contact us at:
QUINTE CONSERVATION
613-968-3434 or 613-354-3312
Keith Taylor ext. 114
Amy Dickens ext. 132
Mark Boone ext. 120
Or visit the office during business hours:
2061 Old Highway 2 near Belleville
(appointment recommended)
Plan Implementation for Real Estate:
What if I sell and list properties in more
than one region? Will source protection
plans for other areas have the same
policies?
No, but they will likely be similar. The source
protection program was designed to address
local needs and so there will be some variability
in approaches taken by each of the local source
protection committees in creating their local
plans. Each source protection region/area in
Ontario has a website with more information
and maps. Go to conservation-ontario.ca and
click on ‘drinking water source protection’ for
links to information across Ontario.
What can I do to help inform potential
buyers and sellers about drinking water
source protection and how it applies to
them?
Find out if Source Protection Plan policies apply
in the communities you serve and become
familiar with the maps of the vulnerable areas.
Visit and encourage your clients to visit
quintesourcewater.ca to view the maps and
helpful fact sheets. Information is also available at
the Quinte Conservation office to better inform
you and your clients about:
which properties are located in a vulnerable
area, and
how specific activities may be regulated in
certain locations, and
how some activities will require risk
management plans or may be prohibited.
Scheduling an appointment with Quinte
Conservation to discuss concerns is advisable.
This fact sheet is not legal advice.
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